Anticlogging salt-shaker.



R. D. EDMUNDS.

ANTICLOGGING SALT SHAKER.

APPLICATlON FlLED SEPT.25. 191s.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

F3 DEDMUNDS I as? RALPH D. EDMUNDS, 0F LOMAX, ILLINOIS.

ANTICLOGGING SALT-SHAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Application filed September 25, 1916. Serial No. 122,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. EDMUNDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lomax, in the county of Henderson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anticlogging Salt-Shakers, of which the following 1s a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in kitchen and table articles and relates particularly to saltcellars of the anti-clogging type.

The invention has for its primary ob ect a practicable, durable and efficient construction of device of this character, the parts of which are so constructed and arranged that they may be very easily manufactured and readily assembled and whereby, in the use of the device, the openings in the capof the salt-cellar, through which the salt is 1ntend ed to flow out, will be cleaned every time the device is used, so that all liability of clog ging will be positively precluded.

And the invention aims to generally improve devices of this class so as to render them more. useful and commercially desirable.

lVith these and other objects in View, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter more fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a salt shaker embodying the improvements of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts in different relative positions,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device and,

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing the means for cleaning the perforations or apertures in the cap of the device.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the views of the accompanying drawing by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, .the numeral 1 designates the body of my improved saltcellar, the same being of any desired shape or design and ornamented in any desired Way and constructed of any desired substance or material, as judgment or taste may dictate. The body 1 is provided at its upper end with a cap 2 which may be of any desired shape, design, or construction, the cap being provided with any desired number of apertures 3 through which the salt may flow out when the device is inverted in the usual manner. The body 1 at its lower end is provided with a main bottom 4, which preferably tapers upwardly and inwardly from all sides, as shown, and which is provided with a downwardly extending annular flange 5. A false bottom 6 fits within the main bottom 4 and forms the base of the device, said false bottom 6.being formed at its margin with an upwardly extending flange 7 fitting within the flange 5 above mentioned.

A rod 8 projects upwardly from the false bottom 6 and is secured thereto at the center thereof, said rod being preferably solid, and extending upwardly within a tube 9 which projects upward from the center of the main bottom 4 within the body 1 of the device. An expansion spring 10 is coiled around the rod 8 within the bottom of the device, said spring hearing at one end against the false bottom 6 and at its other end against the main bottom 4 whereby it exerts its tension to hold the false bottom 6 and rod 8 in their lower or retracted positions relative to the main bottom 4 and body 1.

The tube 9 is formed with any desired number of longitudinally extending slots 11, there being two slots in the present instance, disposed at diametrical relation .to each other, and arms 12 are secured to the rod 8 and project outwardly through the slots 11 and have movement therein, said arms being each formed with a plurality of outwardly and upwardly projecting prongs 12' that are designed to register with and project into or through the apertures 3 of the cap 2, when the false bottom 6 and rod 8 are moved upwardly against the tension of the expansion spring 10.

From the foregoing description in connec- 6 tion with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved anti-clogging saltcellar will be apparent. In the practical use of the device, it will rest on the table or other support upon the false bottom 6 which forms the base of the salt-cellar, and the prongs 12 will be disposed below and spaced from the apertures 3 in the cap 2. But by pressing the body 1 downward, it

is manifest that the prongs 12' will move relatively upward and into or through the apertures 3 so as to effectually clear them from any salt that might otherwise be clogged therein. Hence the apertures 3 may at all times be kept clear, and the device he maintained in workable condition.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed, is:

1. A device of the character described,

comprising a body portion, a main bottom therefor, -a cap formed with apertures, a tube extending upwardly within the body from the main bottom and formed with slots,

a false bottom, a rod carried by the false bottom and movable Within the tube, arms projecting outwardly through said slots and secured to the rod and provided with up- 4 wardly projecting prongs designed to register with the apertures of the cap, and a a flange depending therefrom, a false bottom having an upturned flange mounted within the first named flange, a rod connected at its lower end to the false bottom and extending upwardly therefrom, a tube connected to the main bottom and receiving said rod, a spring coiled around the rod and bearing against the false bottom and main bottom, 'said tube being formed with lon tudinally disposedslots, and arms carried i y the rod and projecting through said slots and formed with upwardly projecting prongs designed to register with the apertures of the cap.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow body having a perforated cap on one end and an axially disposed guide fixed within the body, a rod movable within said guide and carrying a plurality of prongs co-acting with the guide to prevent rotative movement of the rod and to thereby maintain the prongs in alinement with the respective perforations in the cap, and a spring urging said rod in one direction to normally withdraw the prongs from the perforations and yieldably retain the same entirely within said body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RALPH D. EDMUNDS.

Witnesses:

FRANK LAY'roN, CLARE B. BYLER. 

